In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m sure you expected me to post a recipe for a delectable sweet. But no, Valentine’s Day is all about treating MY sweetie and therefore, it’s all about Ribs!

Though we live in Miami and could technically BBQ all winter long, I do live in a condo. Therefore, my options are limited. However, does that mean my hubby should be deprived of the flavor of smoked and slow-cooked meat? NO WAY! We just need to get creative…

For those of you coping with winter snow storms, yet dreaming of warmer summer days, this easy technique should do the trick for you too. By simply combining your oven with hickory-smoked wood chips, you can create the BBQ flavors of summer indoors, any time of year. Hope YOUR sweetie enjoys them as much as MINE!

OVEN-SMOKED RIBS*

Ingredients:

2 ½ tbsp. – Kosher salt

1 tbsp – Dry mustard

1 tbsp – Paprika

½ tsp – Cayenne pepper

½ tsp – Black pepper (freshly ground)

8 lbs – Ribs (St. Louis-style spareribs are my husband’s favorite!)

3 cups – Barbecue sauce (bottled or home-made)

Hickory-smoked wood chips

Method:
1. Combine first five ingredients and rub onto ribs
2. Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap and store in refrigerator overnight
3. Preheat oven to 250*
4. Line the bottom of a large roasting pan with the wood chips and add just enough water to moisten the chips
5. Place a rack inside the roasting pan
6. Lay ribs on rack and cover with a tent of aluminum foil to create an insulated smoking environment
7. Bake for 3 hours
8. Once cooled, slice between the ribs to separate into individual pieces (if you’re making this ahead, you can stop here and store the ribs in the fridge for up to 3 days)
9. Slather the barbecue sauce on each piece and store in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours
10. To serve, heat in a 425* oven for approximately 30 minutes – until
the barbecue sauce begins to dry and the ribs are perfectly glazed (and feel free to baste with extra sauce if you like saucy ribs!)